


i only wanna be with you

by unbrokengibberish



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gilmore Girls Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-09
Updated: 2015-07-09
Packaged: 2018-04-08 10:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4301208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unbrokengibberish/pseuds/unbrokengibberish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey filled the cup with hot coffee and Ian smiled up at him. “What?” </p>
<p>“You know you’re an angel,” Ian said, abandoning his doodling to take a sip from his mug. “A badass angel who cooks like Guy Fieri, but an angel nonetheless.” </p>
<p>“Shut up,” Mickey mumbled, looking down as he pretended to write something on his notepad. “I’m way better than Guy Fieri.” </p>
<p>“Seriously, you have wings, baby,” Ian said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i only wanna be with you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mickeysupset](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mickeysupset/gifts).



> Happy (early) Birthday, Ellie! I hope this meets your expectations, because it was really fun to write. I hope you have a fantastic birthday on Saturday!

The chime over the door rang as Ian pushed his way into the diner. Smiling when he caught sight of Mickey behind the counter, scowl on his face as he held the phone to his ear, Ian walked up to the counter. He sat down and made a show of looking at the menu. 

“You got new menus!” Ian yelled, scandalized after a few moments. 

“I’m on the fucking phone,” Mickey muttered, covering the mouthpiece with his hand. 

“That isn’t appropriate diner language, but, seriously, what the fuck, man? Do you know how long it took me to draw doodles in the corner of every menu? Now I have to start all over again,” Ian said, trying to hide his grin as Mickey’s eyebrows lifted up his face. 

“Or you could, I don’t know, not draw on my menus?” 

“Where’s the fun in that?” Ian asked, taking a pen out of his messenger bag and starting to doodle in the top of his menu. 

Mickey slammed the phone down hard against the receiver. 

“You only have that ancient phone so you can slam it, don’t you?” 

“Damn delivery man is going to be late with my meat order. Third time this month,” Mickey said, taking a big mug from under the counter and placing it in front of Ian. He filled it with hot coffee and Ian smiled up at him. “What?” 

“You know you’re an angel,” Ian said, abandoning his doodling to take a sip from his mug. “A badass angel who cooks like Guy Fieri, but an angel nonetheless.” 

“Shut up,” Mickey mumbled, looking down as he pretended to write something on his notepad. “I’m way better than Guy Fieri.” 

“Seriously, you have wings, baby,” Ian said. He hoped his tone didn’t betray his obvious infatuation with the man in front of him. Mickey mumbled something else, before turning around and heading back into the kitchen. “Aren’t you going to take my order?” 

“It’s Monday. You’ve been eating the same thing every Monday for the last five years. Your french dip and extra fries will be ready as soon as Carl and Debbie get here,” Mickey shouted back from the kitchen and Ian couldn’t help but beam in his direction. 

The bell over the door chimed again and Ian turned around to see his younger siblings walk in . They always joined him for lunch on Mondays, trying to break up the monotony of the dreary day. Also because their school was literally across the street. He grabbed his coffee and followed them over to the table where they sat. 

“And how are we doing on this fine Monday?” Ian asked, smirking at the two of them as he sat down. 

“School is dumb,” Carl muttered. 

“School is great! We’re learning about anatomy in my biology class and it’s so cool. We’re taking a field trip to see a live surgery next month,” Debbie said, enthusiastically. Ian smiled at his sister. She was a senior this year and he knew she was excited to go to college. She was waiting for her acceptance letters, which would be coming any day. 

When Ian got the assistant manager job at the local Inn right out of high school, he’d moved to the small suburban town of Cedar Hills just outside of Chicago. When Fiona, Ian’s older sister, had learned that the local school system was about ten times better than the Chicago Public School system, she’d asked Ian if his younger siblings could use his address to change schools. Now five years later, Debbie and Carl lived with Ian in the small house he rented about five miles from the Inn he now managed. Fiona sent money to help keep them afloat, but Ian was more than happy to have his siblings living with him. It kept him less lonely. 

When Mickey brought them their food, Ian smiled up at the other man. Mickey smirked at him as he walked away only to come back a few seconds later to refill their coffees. 

“You got to wipe that mooning look off your face, dude,” Carl said as Mickey walked back into the kitchen. 

“I don’t have a fucking mooning look on my face,” Ian muttered into his sandwich as he took a bite. 

“You look like you’re gonna rip off his clothes right here and do it in the middle of the diner,” Debbie interjected, making Ian choke on the bite he just took. 

“Can you two be a bit quieter?” Ian said, harshly, looking behind him to make sure that Mickey wasn’t in earshot. 

“Oh sweetie, we all know. You two have been dancing around the subject for the better part of the last five years,” Sheila, their friendly neighbor, said from the table behind them. 

Ian felt his face flush, but he didn’t argue with her. Debbie and Carl burst out laughing, before they started to eat. 

“What’s so funny?” Mickey asked, coming out of the kitchen and standing behind the counter. Luckily, Ian was spared from having to answer by his phone ringing in his pocket. “Outside,” Mickey demanded. 

“You do know it’s 2015 right? Cell phones are the norm? Everyone talks on them everywhere?” Ian questioned, already standing up and heading to the door. 

“If everyone was jumping off a bridge, Gallagher, would you?” 

Ian flipped him off as he exited the diner. 

“Hello?” he said into his phone once he was on the sidewalk. 

“Your chef makes huge mess in kitchen. I think I smelled smoke earlier,” a heavily accented voice spoke into the phone without a proper greeting. 

“Hello to you too, Svetlana,” Ian said rolling his eyes. “Now what’s going on?” 

“Karen is making a huge mess like normal, but she goes overboard. I heard loud clattering earlier.” 

“Have you gone back there to check on her?” 

“No, you tell me to not leave the front desk,” Svetlana said, and Ian could practically hear the smirk in her voice. 

“Fine. I’ll be back there as soon as I can.” Ian hung up the phone before she could say anything else. 

He stepped back into the diner, pausing briefly as he saw Mickey leaning over their table talking to Carl and looking extremely uncomfortable. He was holding his hands behind his back and Ian sighed dramatically alerting the three of them that he was there and walked back over to the table. 

“Stop asking Mickey about his tattoos, fucking Christ,” Ian said, warming at Mickey’s smile. “I got to get back to the Inn. I’ll see you two at home tonight.” Ian took one last bite of his sandwich, popped a fry into his mouth, and washed it down with a gulp of coffee. He mentally reminded himself to take his midday meds when he got back to the inn. “Bye, Mick.” 

Ian was back outside and heading for his jeep when Mickey shouted his name. He turned back around, staring at the man who was half running after him but trying to keep a normal face. 

“Yes?” Ian asked, crossing his arms and staring at Mickey feeling confused.

“So you know Mandy’s wedding is on Friday?” Mickey asked. He paused, seeming to wait for Ian’s answer, so Ian nodded and Mickey continued, “Well, she wants me to bring someone, because she’s a fucking bitch … and I was … uh wondering… if you wanted to maybe … gowithme?” Mickey’s face was a deep shade of pink and he was looking at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck with his U-UP hand. 

“Like a date?” Ian asked, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice. 

“No!” Mickey said quickly. “Just as friends. I just need to get her off my back. Plus, she loves you more than me. I know it’s late notice, but it’s not like I’m going to find anyone else.” 

Ian swallowed around the welling disappointment in his throat. “I’d love to, Mick. I wouldn’t miss Mandy’s big day for anything,” Ian said, smiling tightly at the other man who finally looked up at him. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, Ian turned away and walked over to his jeep before driving off to the Inn, trying to keep the crushing weight out of his heart. 

///

When he walked in the front door of the Inn, he could smell the lingering scent of smoke. Sighing deeply, he walked back into the kitchen, pushing the door open, and surveying the area. Karen sat on a stool next to the big metal sink fanning herself with a thin magazine. A patch of the wall above the stove looked slightly charred but definitely not the worst that it’d ever been. 

Ian walked over to the sink, poured himself a glass of water, and took the pills out of his dispenser. He popped them in his mouth and swallowed with a large gulp of water. He then turned to Karen, leaning against the sink. 

“What happened this time?” 

“I was trying out this new caramel sauce and I turned around for one second and the brandy caught on fire and then my apron caught on fire and the wall caught on fire, but we got it out and there’s only minimal damage,” Karen blurted out. 

Ian’s eyes traveled over Karen, checking on her, before noticing a cinged piece of her hair. “Are you okay?” he asked, pulling the burnt hair between his fingers and looking at her, a swell of concern rushing through him. 

“Oh that,” Karen said, brushing him off. “I’m fine. We got the fire out before it barely even touched me.” 

“And everything is fine?” 

“Everything’s fine. It’s just a bit more cajun than when you left.” 

 

Ian couldn’t help but to smile at the lame joke. He poured himself another cup of coffee--decaf-- and turned around, leaning against the large island sighing dramatically. The crisis at hand was taken care of and his mind wandered back to Mickey.

“Uh oh. I know that sigh,” Karen said, coming around the other side of the island and chopping a carrot. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong.” 

“Uh-huh, sure.” 

“Nothing’s _wrong_. Mickey asked me to go to Mandy’s wedding … as friends,” Ian said, picking up a slice of carrot and eating it. 

“And you don’t want to go as just friends?” Karen asked, although it sounded more like a statement. “You want to go as more than friends and he wants to go as more than friends but you’re both too pussy to do anything about it.” 

“You can take the girl out of the South Side …” 

“Oh, fuck off. You know I’m right. You’re both idiots who are massively in lust with each other, if not in love, but neither of you are going to do anything about it. You’re just going to tiptoe around the fact until it drives you both insane.” 

“Since when did you get so wise, Dr. Laura?” Ian asked. 

“Anyone with functioning eyes and a functioning sexual tension meter can see that you two want each other. The real question is who’s going to make the first move.” Karen made a tisking noise in the back of her throat and Ian wanted to roll his eyes. 

“I asked him if he wanted it to be a date and he said no. He said no like the mere idea of going on a date with me was laughable ... or horrifying.” 

“You don’t think it’s just that Mickey ‘Hermit’ Milkovich doesn’t know how to properly socialize and probably can’t imagine you wanting to date him?” Karen asked as she continued chopping. At Ian’s look, she raised her hands in defense. “I’m not saying that he’s not datable. I’m just saying, you’ve lived here for five years and have you ever seen him with a guy. He’s not exactly what screams the dating type.” 

“I don’t even need to date him,” Ian whispered, not letting himself continue the thought as he pictured pale, tattooed hands roaming his own freckled chest. He felt a blush rise up his neck when he caught Karen looking at him funny. 

“Just go to the wedding with him and see how that goes. If you two are really meant to be together, you’ll be able to tell--shit!” Karen jumped back from the island, a faint trace of blood noticeable on her finger. 

“You need to be more careful,” Ian reprimanded her as he rushed to get the first aid kit. He cleaned up her hand. “Promise me you’ll be more careful.” 

“If you promise me you’ll actually talk to Mickey about your feelings,” Karen said, fixing him with an intense stare. 

“Fine,” Ian agreed begrudgingly. “I have to get back out front before Svetlana turns all of the guests away.” 

///

Ian walked through the front door of their small house to the smell of chinese take out and the sound of the television murmuring quietly. He dropped off his bag and jacket, toeing out of his shoes before walking into the living room to see Debbie and Carl sitting on the couch doing their homework. 

“Did you at least get something with a vegetable? Fiona’s gonna kill me if you both die of scurvy,” Ian said, grabbing an open carton and a fork and eating directly from the box. He sat on the chair next to the couch and watched the two of them as he ate.

“Scurvy comes from a lack of fruits, but there is broccoli in that one,” Debbie stated pointing to the unopened carton on the coffee table. Ian laughed lightly and turned his attention to the TV. 

“Fiona called earlier,” Carl mentioned, flipping the page in his math textbook as he ate an egg roll with the other hand. 

“What’d she say?” 

“Just wanted to check in. Make sure we were still coming up for Friday Night Dinner,” Carl said, emphasizing the importance of the dinner. 

“Fuck,” Ian said, slightly choking on a piece of sesame chicken. 

Debbie looked up at him with an unamused expression. “You’re skipping again?” 

“I’m not skipping. I have a thing.” His coyness wasn’t appeasing them and they both stared at him, unimpressed. “Mickey wants me to go to Mandy’s wedding with him.” 

“Hold up,” Carl said, closing his book and sitting up straighter. “Mickey asked you out on a date and you’re only just telling us.” 

“It’s not a date. It’s just a friend thing. It’s Mandy’s wedding. I have to go anyway and she’s making him bring a date, so it’s perfect.” He could tell by their expressions that neither of them believed him. “It’s not a date.” 

“Sure,” Debbie tisked, taking another bite of her noodles. 

“It’s not. He asked me today. The wedding is in four days. He sounded like he was just desperate to find someone. He just wants to get Mandy off his back.” 

“Ian Gallagher, I love you. But you are the stupidest brother in the world.” Ian rolled his eyes, but Debbie continued, “Mickey is so in love with you. He’s been in love with you since you moved here. He’s just trying to be coy or distant or whatever the fuck it is that Mickey does. Get a pair of functioning eyes, why don’t you?” 

Ian shoved her a little as he got up from the chair, taking his food. “I’m going up to bed. Do your homework. Go to bed at a decent hour. It’s not a date. Love you,” Ian called as he climbed the stairs up to his bedroom. 

When he got there, he stripped out of his clothes and fell face first onto the bed, bouncing a little as his full weight crashed into the mattress. He then groaned and rolled over staring up at his ceiling. 

He could remember every minute of the time he’d spent with Mickey over the last five years. From the first time he walked into the diner, begging for coffee and bothering Mickey by sitting at the counter and asking him relentless questions, to the time that Debbie got the chicken pox and Mickey had brought over a industrial sized tupperware full of mashed potatoes because that’s the only thing she would eat. Mickey had been a constant in Ian’s life, a constant that Ian needed, since he moved to this town. 

But Ian was a selfish person and he wanted nothing more than everything from Mickey. Since the moment Mickey had come out to him, Ian had pictured nothing but Mickey in his life, in his bed, in his heart. He wanted Mickey more than he’d wanted anyone ever, but he didn’t want to ruin the relationship they had. He didn’t believe that Mickey could like him as anything more than a friend. 

///

When Friday rolled around, Ian was literally a mess. He rifled around in his closet trying to figure out what the fuck to wear. He wanted to look good, but not like he thought that tonight was more than it was. His phone ringing at 7 a.m. had him jumping out of his skin before fumbling to answer the call. He peeked a glance at the caller ID. 

“Mandy?” he asked, confused as he answered the phone. 

“You’re my brother’s date?” she asked, voice reaching a pitch that Ian had never heard before. 

“Yeah, so …” Ian said, sitting on his bed and playing with a loose string on his quilt, feeling his heart rate speed up. 

“You better not fuck this up. I swear to God, Ian Gallagher.” 

“We’re just going as friends!” Ian said for what felt like the millionth time this week. 

“Yeah, sure,” Mandy said. “I love you, but you are both idiots. I’ll see you tonight. You should wear your green button up and black tie!” she shouted before she hung up. 

Ian stared down at the phone in his hand for five minutes before regaining his thoughts. This was going to be an interesting day.

Ian wandered down the stairs seeking coffee and food. Debbie and Carl were rushing around getting ready for school, but he just let them do their thing; he still needed to figure out what he was going to wear. 

He climbed back up the stairs with a cup of coffee and a pop tart, took his morning meds, and sat on his bed while the side effects subsided. He stared at his closet, already knowing he would wear his green shirt and black tie, because Mandy was nothing if not the scariest motherfucker in Ian’s life. 

He still wasn’t sure why she had called earlier to warn him against hurting her brother or whatever, like Ian could ever hurt Mickey. He regretted the day he’d stopped drinking because he could really use some liquid reassurance right about now. 

The shakes subsided. He went into his bathroom to start getting ready for the day when his phone rang yet again. 

FIONA flashed on his screen and he groaned before sighing and answering. 

“Hi, Fi,” he said in what he hoped was a calm voice. 

“Don’t you ‘hi, Fi’ me. You aren’t coming to dinner tonight?” 

“Fiona, look …” 

“Don’t you tell me what to do, Ian Gallagher. This is the third week in a row you’ve missed Friday dinner. I’m starting to worry,” Fiona said, and the worry in her voice was almost palpable. 

“Fiona, I’m fine. It’s Mandy’s wedding tonight. I’ll be there next week I promise.” Ian tried to soothe his sister. 

“Mandy’s wedding? That means that Mickey is going to be there?” 

Ian groaned audible. “Not you too?” 

“What? It’s obvious you like the guy, Ian.” 

“I’m not talking boys with you at seven-thirty in the morning, Fi. Debbie and Carl will see you tonight. Love you. Bye.” Ian hung up the phone without waiting for a response. His phone lit up a second later with “Love you too. Dick.” Ian smiled, tossing his phone on the bed. He finished getting ready for the day and headed back downstairs, where Debbie and Carl were eating breakfast.

“Good morning,” Ian said, pouring himself another cup of coffee. He wasn’t supposed to have that much caffeine but he was nothing if not a caffeine addict, so he’d compromised and cut himself off after lunch. 

“Morning,” they both grumbled at the same time. Ian rolled his eyes. Neither of them were morning people. 

“So you’re both getting on the bus to Fi’s right after school, okay?” 

They both smiled at him mischievously after that. 

“What?” 

Neither of them answered as they got up to get dressed for school, and Ian couldn’t help but think how weird teenagers were, glad to be out of that phase of his life. 

He puttered around the kitchen for a while, making sure that it was clean and writing down a few things he needed to buy from the grocery store to replenish their dwindling cupboards. Debbie and Carl came out of their bedrooms dressed for school and started walking toward the front door. 

“Bye, Ian!” Debbie called. 

“Have fun on your date!” Carl called after her, and before Ian had a chance to say it wasn’t a date the front door slammed shut and the two of them were gone. 

///

Ian walked into the Inn with his suit slung over his shoulder in a bag, walking directly to his office to hang it up while trying to avoid people. Which, of course, did not work. 

“Is that suit for lover boy date tonight?” Svetlana asked, hanging over the front desk as Ian tried to walk down the hall. 

“It’s not a date,” Ian mumbled to himself, because no one even listened to him apparently. He’d spent the entire week beating off both Karen and Svetlana about the whole date situation, and now Mandy seemed mad at him. 

“What ever say you,” Svetlana said, waving him off with one hand. 

“Why does no one believe me?” Ian asked, stopping in front of the front desk and looking Svetlana dead on. 

“Because is obvious you love greasy, grumpy diner man and greasy, grumpy diner man obviously loves your caffeinated orange boy self. Makes sense that is date,” Svetlana replied, not missing a beat. 

“Mickey does not like me,” Ian replied a little louder than necessary. He didn’t like having his emotions toyed around with. He had enough to worry about with running the inn and making sure that Carl and Debbie were healthy and safe; he didn’t need the possibility that Mickey may or may not like him looming over him. He was perfectly content to just go about firmly pining after Mickey while knowing that Mickey only liked him as a friend. 

“Is not true. You and grumpy diner man are dumbasses. Go hang up suit before it gets ruined. Looks like almost nice suit.” 

Ian rolled his eyes as he walked out of the lobby and back to his office. 

///

At five o’clock he was dressed and heading out of his office, when Karen and Svetlana both made a horrendous sound from the lobby as he walked by. 

“Jesus Christ, what the fuck was that?” Ian asked, practically hissing. 

“You clean up good, Gallagher,” Karen responded. Svetlana gave him a once over and seemed to nod in agreement. 

“Now have fun on date with grumpy diner man who obviously love you even if you are too dumb to see such,” Svetlana said, smirking and Karen started laughing in response. 

He flipped them both off, making sure no guests were in the lobby area, and then walked out the door. 

He parked where he would normally park to go to Mickey’s. The wedding was being held in the town square and as far as Ian could tell it already looked amazing. He was walking toward the diner, while looking at the square, when he accidently ran into someone. 

“Shit,” he said, reaching out and grabbing the person, only then realizing that he’d almost knocked Mickey over. 

“This how you start all your dates, Gallagher?” Mickey asked, straightening his suit and Ian blanched. “Not that this is a date,” Mickey amended quickly. He looked nervous, but Ian was distracted by how good he looked. 

Mickey wore a tightly fitted suit with a light blue dress shirt and black tie. The shirt made his eyes pop and Ian had a hard time looking away from him. 

“You clean up nice, Mickey,” Ian said, hoping he sounded nonchalant. 

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Ian.” 

They stared at each other, standing in front of the diner, until Ian coughed a bit to clear the tension in the air. 

“Right, we should, uh, probably head over before Mandy murders us,” Mickey said, smiling a little in the corner of his mouth. Ian didn’t think he’d ever seen the other man look more beautiful. 

They walked over to the town square, Ian acutely aware of how close Mickey was to him, feeling the warmth radiating off the other man as their arms accidently brushed. 

The square had been made into the epitome of a goth wedding. Everything was black and old and creepy looking, and Ian had never seen anything that better shouted Mandy. 

“Took you long enough!” Mandy’s fiance shouted at the two of them as they approached the area where the ceremony would take place. “Mandy wants to see you,” he told Mickey, who immediately sighed and walked off to Sheila’s studio where Mandy was getting ready. 

After a few silent minutes, Ian decided he’d better break the tension.

“You ready for this, man?” Ian asked Nick as he waited for Mickey to come back. 

“I just want to be married to her, you know?” Nick said, a huge and content smile painted across his face. 

Mickey started walking back from the studio, Mandy’s crisis apparently being a quick fix. “Yeah, I know,” Ian replied, before Mickey joined them again. 

“You guys should probably get your seats,” Nick said. “Mandy saved the first two for you,” he said, pointing to the front row of folding chairs. 

“Good luck, man,” Mickey said, clapping Nick on the shoulder as they walked off to take their seats. 

“Are you crying, Mick?” Ian teased, noticing a shine to Mickey’s eyes. 

“Fuck you,” Mickey huffed, harshly dragging his tattooed hand over his eyes. “She looks really pretty.” 

Ian smiled softly, loving moments when Mickey took away the angry facade and showed the soft side underneath. Fuck, he was so lost on this man. 

A few minutes later the music started and Mandy was walking down the aisle. It was a small ceremony only about two dozen people in attendance and just Mandy and Nick making up the wedding party. They hadn’t wanted to over do it, so they kept it simple, saving up their money for a rather long honeymoon. 

Mandy glided down the aisle like a swan making its way across a pond. She did look gorgeous. Her dress was simple - a sleeveless black colored bodice that cascaded into a full skirt that flowed with her movement. Her black hair piled on top of her head with a birdcage veil created a gorgeously eerie look. Her darkly painted eyes showed off just enough of her South Side edge to remind you that she wasn’t someone to be messed with and also illuminated the blue of her irises. She looked amazing and Ian felt his own eyes grow damp just looking at her. 

She caught sight of the two of them and winked, smiling before she was standing in front of her husband-to-be. 

Ian felt tears swell in his eyes as Mandy and Nick exchanged vows. He had to blink them back as they kissed and were announced husband and wife. 

///

As Mandy and Nick proceeded back down the aisle, Ian turned to look at Mickey out of the corner of his eye. The smile on Mickey’s face was luminous. His blue eyes shone brighter because of a layer of tears that had yet to spill. He looked happier for his sister than Ian had ever seen him look. It made Ian’s heart swell. 

Mandy and Nick disappeared to the reception area and Mickey turned to look at Ian. Ian tried to avert his gaze quickly, but when he turned back around Mickey was looking at him funny. He knew that he’d been caught. Mickey’s eyebrow raised in question and Ian was about to say something when another voice interrupted them. 

“Mickey Milkovich is that you?” A rich, deep voice called out to them causing both Ian and Mickey to turn in its direction. 

“Fuck,” Mickey muttered under his breath, before the mysterious dude was coming up and standing in front of them. Mickey stood up from his chair. “Romero, how you doing man?” Mickey greeted the new man enthusiastically, causing Ian’s interest to perk. 

“Not bad,” Romero responded. “Can’t believe that girl finally tied the knot. You believe it?” 

“Nah, man,” Mickey said, shaking his head and smiling fondly. He seemed to have forgot Ian was sitting right there. 

“How have you been?”

“Oh you know. Business is busy.” 

“Ah, yeah. Iggy told me that you were running a diner up in here. You were always fucking around with food back in the neighborhood,” Romero said, punching Mickey lightly on the arm. 

Ian decided it was time to make his presence known. He stood up, folding his arms and coughing a bit behind Mickey. 

“Shit, sorry,” Mickey said, flushing a deep pink. “Ian, this is Romero. He’s friends with my brother. We grew up on the same street back in the South Side. Romero, this is my friend Ian.” 

Ian held out his hand and greeted Romero in a cold yet pleasant voice. 

“Friend, huh? So you two aren’t …” he let his sentence trail off. 

“Shit, nah, man,” Mickey said, shifting on his feet and stroking his bottom lip with his thumb. “We’re just friends.” 

“Well alrightie then. Maybe I’ll be seeing you later,” Romero said, trailing his hand down Mickey’s arm in a very suggestive manner before muttering a goodbye to Ian and heading over to the reception. 

Ian could feel his pulse racing under his skin. He wanted to go after that man and beat him to the ground. Shaking his head, he took three steady breaths and turned to face Mickey.

“Should we head over there?” Ian asked, trying to keep his voice steady, realizing that most of the guests were already heading over. 

“Sure,” said Mickey, clearing his throat. 

“So who’s Romero?,” Ian said, feeling stupid and uncomfortable as they awkwardly walked over to the other side of the square. 

“I told you. Just a guy from the neighborhood.” 

“You fuck him?” Ian asked, flinching at himself. 

“The fuck, Ian? What does it even matter to you?” Mickey replied, turning to face Ian, arms folded and eyebrows arched. Before Ian had a chance to respond, they were interrupted once again.

“I’m fucking married!” Mandy practically screamed, running up to them and pulling them both into a hug. Ian’s arm burned as it pressed up against Mickey, but he felt Mickey glaring at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Congrats, Mands,” Mickey muttered, blushing as they pulled away. 

“You look beautiful, Mandy,” Ian said, pressing a kiss to the side of her face as he let go of her. He smiled when she beamed at him. She looked free and gorgeous and so happy that Ian was momentarily distracted from the unnecessary anger he felt towards Mickey. 

Nick came up beside her a moment later. 

“Congrats, man,” Ian and Mickey said simultaneously. Ian felt his face warm. 

“Thanks, guys. We’re really happy you could both make it,” Nick said, obviously desperate for something to say. He seemed distracted by Mandy. Ian smiled slightly at the look on his face and chanced a glance at Mickey, who dropped his glare the moment Ian caught his gaze. 

“We’re going to go try to eat something before we get too distracted,” Mandy said, latching onto Nick’s arm. “Make sure you get some food! Love you both!” Mandy shouted as Nick playfully dragged her away. 

“She looks happy,” Mickey said, voice awed. 

“Well, she deserves it,” Ian replied, adopting his earlier tone of disgust as Mandy left. 

“Why the fuck does it matter if I slept with some guy a million years ago?” Mickey asked, temper rising. 

“Fucking doesn’t,” Ian said, storming off to go get some food and get away from Mickey before he imagined Romero ramming into him one more time. 

///

“And now it’s time for Mr. and Mrs. Sampson to join in their first dance as a married couple,” Kev said into the microphone, knocking it once so that a loud screech echoed throughout the square. “Sorry. Nick. Mandy. Get up here.” 

Ian smiled as Nick led Mandy onto the dance floor. He was standing off to the side of the dance floor, stealing glances where Mickey sat talking to Romero and some other guy who looked like Nick’s brother. Ian was buzzed from one beer and knew that he was glaring but he couldn’t help himself. 

Mickey glanced at him from where he was sitting and he quickly turned his gaze back to Mandy and Nick. 

“And now Nick and Mandy would like to invite everyone else to join them,” Kev said. 

Ian watched as other couples joined the bride and groom on the dance floor. He smiled, superficially at them all. 

“You okay?” Mickey asked, from right next to Ian, scaring the hell out of him. 

“Fuck you,” Ian said, clasping his hand over his heart. “You serious?” 

“Look I’m sorry. I shoulda mentioned that Romero was going to be here and that I needed you to make sure I could brush him off,” Mickey mumbled. 

“What?” Ian asked, staring at Mickey with a fuzzy head, feeling even more confused. 

“I don’t want that guy. Trust me. Yeah, we hooked up once or twice back on the South Side when I was so far in the closet I couldn’t even see the light. But I don’t want him.” 

“But you were pretty adamant about him knowing that we were only friends,” Ian pointed out. 

“Well, I wasn’t going to make you pretend to be my boyfriend or whatever, just to get him off my case,” Mickey said, looking up at Ian.

“Fuck,” Ian muttered, taking a last sip from his beer. “Sorry I freaked out.” 

“Yeah, why did you?” 

“I don’t know. I just get jealous sometimes. I don’t play well with others. You know that.” 

“Yeah, well, stop being such a fucking idiot,” Mickey said, smiling and looking out at the couples dancing. He coughed in the back of his throat. “You, uh, wanna dance?” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, why not?” 

“I don’t see you as much of the dancing type,” Ian stated matter of factly. 

“Yeah, well I’m a very versatile guy,” Mickey said, smirking.

“We don’t have to, Mick.” 

“I’m asking, aren’t I?” 

Ian stood up and held out his hand for Mickey, waiting for him to take it. The spark of electricity that worked its way up Ian’s arm as Mickey grabbed his hand only made him smile wider. 

Ian led them to the dance floor where other couples started swaying back and forth. He stopped, dropping Mickey’s hand, and the two of them stared at each other, neither knowing what to do. 

Mickey took a small step forward, holding up his hand, and Ian tentatively cupped his hand over Mickey’s palm, closing his fingers around the small, tattooed hand. Mickey settled his other hand on Ian’s upper arm, gripping the muscle there and blushing. Ian rested his free hand gently on Mickey’s hip. And then they started moving. They mostly just swayed back and forth, neither knowing how to actually dance, but the tension slowly dissipated from around them and Ian found himself laughing along with Mickey. 

He felt free and happy and warm. 

He and Mickey moved to the music for a few more songs, before they both pulled away and went back to their seats, eating more of the Italian/Ukrainian feast that the caterers had prepared. 

Ian watched Mickey out of the corner of his eye the rest of the night. He couldn’t keep the small smile off his face as he noticed that Mickey looked happier than he’d seen him before. He didn’t talk to Romero the rest of the night.

When Mandy and Nick were ushered out of the reception to leave for their honeymoon, Ian and Mickey decided it was time to go. Mickey offered to walk Ian home and Ian didn’t want to say goodbye just yet so he accepted. 

///

They stood in front of Ian’s house. Neither of them had said anything on the walk home and Ian wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say now. 

“That was fun,” he said, cringing at his own dumbness. 

“Yeah, that one guy with the goth makeup and lace-up boots was very interesting,” Mickey replied. 

Ian found himself laughing at all the ridiculous things that had happened at the wedding that he’d only half paid attention to. He’d been too absorbed in his thoughts about Mickey to notice the eccentricity, but looking back there had been some odd things.

“That cake was something else though.” The cake had been a three tied completely black cake. The rich dark chocolate cake had been covered in black icing, and a spider web pattern had been laced over the whole thing. It would have kicked ass at a halloween party. 

“Yeah, was good too. Tell Karen she did a great job,” Mickey said, looking up at Ian. 

“Will do,” Ian murmured. “So …” 

“We should do this again sometime,” Mickey blurted out, blushing a bit and leaving Ian confused. 

“You have another last minute wedding you need a date for?” 

“No, I mean like hang out. Just the two of us. It was fun.” 

Ian stared at Mickey not believing what the other man was implying. Had this really been a date after all? Ian felt himself take a step forward. 

“I mean, we don’t have to … whatever, man. I’ll see you …” 

“Shut up,” Ian said, effectively cutting off Mickey’s attempt to rush off of Ian’s front lawn. 

“Fuck you,” Mickey replied, instinctively before squinting his eyes up at Ian. “Wait … does that mean?” 

Ian grabbed Mickey’s arm and took a step closer to him. 

“What are you doing?” Mickey asked trying to back away, but Ian held him in place. 

“Would you just stand still?” Ian ordered, dragging Mickey’s body in close to his own. “I’d love to do this again,” Ian said, before fitting his mouth over Mickey’s in a perfect kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget to wish [Ellie](http://mickeysupset.tumblr.com) a happy birthday on Saturday! 
> 
> Thank you to [Jen](http://wehangout.tumblr.com) for editing this and reassuring me that it didn't completely suck. 
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading!
> 
> Come chat me up @ [unbrokengibberish](http://unbrokengibberish.tumblr.com)


End file.
